Improvement in toy pistols



ROBERT W. CHURCHILL, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD HIS RIGHT TO DAVID J. WALTERS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOY PISTOLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,521, dated June 15, 1875; applidation filed April 12, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. CHURCH- ILL, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Toy Pistol; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, side view; Fig. 2, longitudinal central section; Fig. 3, the same, looking from the opposite direction; Fig. 4, detached view.

This invention relates to an improvement in toy pistols, designed especially for throwing torpedoes and it consists in a combinatlon of mechanism, as hereinafter described.

A is the barrel, which is formed as part of the handle B, and is preferably cast in two parts, the division being longitudinal, one part shown in Fig. 2, and the other part in Fig. 3, the two parts secured together by screws or rivets a b. Centrally in the barrel a spiral or otherwise suitable spring, C, is arranged, secured at the rear end by a lug, D, or otherwise. To the forward end of the spring a follower, E, is attached, the said follower shown in section, Fig. 4. To the under side of the follower E a toothed rack, F, is attached, extending back toward the hammer G, the said hammer hung upon the pivot 12. From the hammer a rod, 01, extends forward, its end 6 formed so as to engage one of the teeth of the rack F, as seen in Fig. 2, and provided with a spring, N, to bear it up into the teeth of the rack; hence, when the hammer is drawn back, as denoted in broken lines, Fig. 2, it will draw the follower back with it, and compress the spring, and when thus drawn back the rack is caught by a spring-pawl, L, (see Fig. 3,) and held, leaving the hammer in a cooked position. P. is the principal trigger, extending up over the pawl L, so that by pulling the trigger the pawl L will be depressed, as denoted in Fig. 3. This will free the rack, and allow the follower to fly forward. An auxiliary trigger,

T, is also arranged to depress the rod at, so as to leave the rack free from the hammer, and not interfere with the force of the discharge. The two triggers are formed together, or in line with each other, so that the finger engages both at-the same time.

If the force of the discharge is required to be increased, the hammer may be drawn back once, and the follower held by the pawl L; then the hammer pressed forwardwill engage the rack at an advanced position, so that in again drawing the hammer back a greatly-increased force will be obtained. 111 such case the disconnection of the rod 01 from the rack becomes essential.

The end of the follower is provided with a cushion, R, of some soft material, with a central perforation into which the stem of the torpedo is passed, and the friction of the cushion upon the torpedo may be sufficient to hold the torpedo and prevent its accidental dropping from the barrel, and yet not interfere with the discharge.

If preferred, a spring or springs, S, may be arranged within the follower to grasp the stem, as seen in Fig. 4, or both may be combined, which is preferable, the cushion preventing the force from exploding the torpedo within the barrel.

The pawl L may be dispensed with and the hammer caught by a sear, so that the rod 61 will alone serve the purpose of engaging the rack; or the rod d may be dispensed with, and the pawl L only employed, and the follower pressed back from the front; hence I do not wish to be confined to the necessary use of both the pawl L and the rod d.

I claim 1. The combination, in a toy pistol, of the spring C, the follower E, the rack F, the hammer G, and rod d, with a trigger, to disengage the said rod (1, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a toy pistol, of the spring C, the follower E, the rack F, and pawl L, with a trigger, to disengage the said pawl, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a toy pistol, of the with a cushion, R, upon its outer end, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ROBERT W. CHURCHILL.

Witnesses CURTIS THoMPsoN, V. R. O. GIDDINGS. 

